Cutting Phase

Trying to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time is impossible. It just can't be done. This is why people who are trying to do both at the same time see no results and give up. You have to do gaining muscle and losing fat in phases. This phase is called the cutting phase, it is basically cutting away all the extra body fat that has been gained while on the bulking cycle. Things to keep in mind are that no matter how you cut down, you will almost definately lose some muscle size, its unstopable, unless your using sport enhancing drugs, but this plan is not for that so we shall leave that idea out! Not a great deal of muscle size will be lost, the majority of size lost will be the body fat surrounding all of your muscles, not just that bit on your gut you wish to lose! The whole of your body holds a general layer of fat around it so when you cut down, you will lose size on your arms, waste, legs etc Not to worry though, you will look and feel much better for it, your muscle will show through your skin much clearer, you will look more defined and appealing to the eye. You will lose that bloated look and hopefully get that six pack that you have always dreamed of having.

What we would like to achieve at this stage, is to bring the percentage of body fat down to somewere below 10% this is the percentage that reveals the abs. Also muscle fibres will appear more clearer and lines will start to show through on the chest etcCutting and dieting is extremely hard and takes a lot of work. Dieting is very important while trying to cut and cannot be ignored. It must be done properly and it must be always followed.

There are several simple rules to cutting thes are:Rule oneEat every 3 hours, this way you keep your metabolism levels high which will help burn of calories.

Rule twoStart eating around 1.5gs of protein per pound of bodyweight spread out over the entire day.Depending on how much you weigh is going to mean that you may have to eat 6,7 or even 8 meals a day, but it is neccesary for muscle growth and repair.Protein sources should come from lean low fat sources like chicken, turkey, lean red meats, tuna, egg whites, mackarel, and salmon etc Protein intake is necessary because otherwise your body might start turning to it’s protein sources for energy which could lead to a loss of muscle tissue.Rule ThreeCut out all wheat and dairy products, all bodybuilders do this, these are the bad foods for cutting, good for bulking but really bad for cutting!

Rule fourAlways have a low intake of carbohydrates, the average 200lb guy has 300gs of carbs on a bulking cycle, this is now halfed and taken down to either 100/150gs of carbs per day only, always low GI carbs and keep them complex as explained earlier, wholegrain pasta, new potatoes etc

Rule fiveYour weight training regimen you follow when you're not cutting needs to be continued for when you are cutting. High repetitions with low weights are not required; high reps do not 'tone muscle' nor do they aid in the loss of fat. Heavy weight training is standard; the only things that change are dietary factors.

Rule sixHave a treat meal once a weak, best off doing this at the weekend, have a small pizza midday or a burger, this will help with cravings, keep you happy as your probably really bored with your diet and it also benefits your mood by releasing the good fealing endorphines into your body!

Tips

Drink plenty of water as mentioned in the bulking cycle, you should always keep hydrated! Also cut out the supplement creatine at this stage, it can hold water in your muscle which could create the illusion of no weight loss and make you look and feel bloated. You may want to supplement with caffeine at this stage quite alot as you will be tierd and lathargic alot of the time due to the fact your on a low carb diet and energy levels are low. Natural ways and probably the best way to supplement with caffeine is green tea, it is high in caffeine, can help to supress appetite and naturally helps the body to get rid of fat. Many weight loss supplements on the market today have green tea extract in them because it has such good results in helping to lose weight, it would be a mistake to miss out! As i said there are many fat loss and weight management supplements on the market today, some are absoloutely pointless and some have mild advantages to them. Be careful with these as alot of them are basically caffeine and green tea with a few amino acids thrown in and are highly priced. Some fat burners have something called thermongenics in them which mildly raise the body's core tempreture thus raising metabolism, but nothing spectacular should be expected of these supplements. A good strict diet is unbeatable!